I have always used UV filters on all of my lenses. For me, it is cheap insurance against accidental damage to the lens glass. However, this past weekend shooting with a friend is making me reconsider this...

I met a gentleman who was told to me had been shooting for decades. He had some pretty impressive equipment (Canon) with him to boot! He looked at my gear and asked if I always shot with UV filters and I said yes. He then said, "Why? Why would you spend $$$ on a top quality lens and then shoot through a UV filter that can distort the image?" Needless to say, I had nothing to say. He then said that keeping the damage off of your outer lens glass was the hood's job and to not worry about it.

I looked at my friend and he said he agreeded with him and that he never used filters. He told me that you truly can get a better quality image without using UV filters...

Guys? Opinions?

D

I use high quality clear filters on my EF lenses (B&W). These are for protection only and I have never found any indication that they impact the image in any way.

bkorcel

I use exclusively L glass and don't use filters unless I'm in an environment that requires it. The filters do degrade the IQ by some degree, some more than others. Why degrade your IQ that you paid so much money for in the first place?

ryanjennings

I have done both. I have had some trouble with flare even when using a high quality uv filter. I find it kind of a hassle when I am using a circular polarizer though. Have to take off the uv then put on the circular polarizer. Outside in the day I usually have the circular polarizer on all the time anyway.

Logged

munzzzzzzz

If you believe that filters protect your lens from impacts, you need to look on Youtube at the videos of people intentionally abusing lenses. What you'll find is that it takes a LOT of impact to even scratch the outer element of a lens (there is at least one where a guy is hitting it with a hammer with no apparent damage). Try doing that to the extremely thin piece of glass in your filter and you can expect it to shatter.

If you're talking about protecting it from dust and dirt, I can see that to a degree, but as others have pointed you should be able to plan and prepare for those scenarios and use them as necessary.

Under ideal shooting conditions, even a cheap filter may not affect IQ much. It's when you get into less than ideal situations, i.e where there is a potential for lens flare, where filters can really start to affect IQ. And buying a B+W filter doesn't automatically mean it won't affect IQ. If you want to use one want to minimize the effect on IQ, you should really use a multi-coated filter (look for "MRC" on B+W filters) but you'll also find that they get expensive quickly.

At the end of the day, you should really always be using a lens hood, both to protect from lens flare and to protect your lens, and if you're doing that in most scenarios a filter isn't going to help much more. However, if you're NOT using your lens hood and ARE using a filter (especially a cheap one), there's a decent chance that at times IQ will be negatively impacted.

If you believe that filters protect your lens from impacts, you need to look on Youtube at the videos of people intentionally abusing lenses. What you'll find is that it takes a LOT of impact to even scratch the outer element of a lens (there is at least one where a guy is hitting it with a hammer with no apparent damage). Try doing that to the extremely thin piece of glass in your filter and you can expect it to shatter.

If you're talking about protecting it from dust and dirt, I can see that to a degree, but as others have pointed you should be able to plan and prepare for those scenarios and use them as necessary.

Under ideal shooting conditions, even a cheap filter may not affect IQ much. It's when you get into less than ideal situations, i.e where there is a potential for lens flare, where filters can really start to affect IQ. And buying a B+W filter doesn't automatically mean it won't affect IQ. If you want to use one want to minimize the effect on IQ, you should really use a multi-coated filter (look for "MRC" on B+W filters) but you'll also find that they get expensive quickly.

At the end of the day, you should really always be using a lens hood, both to protect from lens flare and to protect your lens, and if you're doing that in most scenarios a filter isn't going to help much more. However, if you're NOT using your lens hood and ARE using a filter (especially a cheap one), there's a decent chance that at times IQ will be negatively impacted.

I use all B+W MRC UV filters, ND filters, and CP filters. I've shot out in the sun routinely and have noticed no lens flare or any IQ problems.

If you believe that filters protect your lens from impacts, you need to look on Youtube at the videos of people intentionally abusing lenses. What you'll find is that it takes a LOT of impact to even scratch the outer element of a lens (there is at least one where a guy is hitting it with a hammer with no apparent damage). Try doing that to the extremely thin piece of glass in your filter and you can expect it to shatter.

If you're talking about protecting it from dust and dirt, I can see that to a degree, but as others have pointed you should be able to plan and prepare for those scenarios and use them as necessary.

Under ideal shooting conditions, even a cheap filter may not affect IQ much. It's when you get into less than ideal situations, i.e where there is a potential for lens flare, where filters can really start to affect IQ. And buying a B+W filter doesn't automatically mean it won't affect IQ. If you want to use one want to minimize the effect on IQ, you should really use a multi-coated filter (look for "MRC" on B+W filters) but you'll also find that they get expensive quickly.

At the end of the day, you should really always be using a lens hood, both to protect from lens flare and to protect your lens, and if you're doing that in most scenarios a filter isn't going to help much more. However, if you're NOT using your lens hood and ARE using a filter (especially a cheap one), there's a decent chance that at times IQ will be negatively impacted.

I use all B+W MRC UV filters, ND filters, and CP filters. I've shot out in the sun routinely and have noticed no lens flare or any IQ problems.

+1 Shot into the sun. Haven't seen any extra flare that wouldn't already be there from the lens anyway.

At the end of the day, you should really always be using a lens hood, both to protect from lens flare and to protect your lens, and if you're doing that in most scenarios a filter isn't going to help much more. However, if you're NOT using your lens hood and ARE using a filter (especially a cheap one), there's a decent chance that at times IQ will be negatively impacted.

Except that UWA lens hoods are so shallow and wide that they don't afford much protection at all.

Kinda what most people say... I have them on to protects lens in less than ideal situations such as in crowds or to complete weather sealing... As long as they are good quality filters you probably won't notice any degradation of IQ.

Don't stress about it, either way, and just enjoy your equipment for what it was designed for... Shooting!

Kinda what most people say... I have them on to protects lens in less than ideal situations such as in crowds or to complete weather sealing... As long as they are good quality filters you probably won't notice any degradation of IQ.

Don't stress about it, either way, and just enjoy your equipment for what it was designed for... Shooting!

MaddScientiskt

To do or not to do....it just comes down to personal preference and anal retentiveness at the end of the day Like many have stated, I just use my filters when I know its going to be a non-ideal situation. For probably 90% of my shooting, I don't use a filter. Truthfully I probably wouldn't notice the filter on there, but I KNOW its on there and I don't want to risk the difference in image quality (because there will be one, just may not see it, hence the anal retentiveness ). Most who are enthusiast baby their glass anyway. Some pro's do too. I'm guilty of it during the first month or so. Know your habits and how you handle your equipment. If you are rough on your $1000 lenses use it, if not don't. Definitely a personal call there. It doesn't make you any more or less a photographer for using it though.

this is probably thread count 2,867,985,345 on the internet regarding this very topic. It's all been said before, you're either a filter guy, a sometimes filter guy, or a no way in hell filter guy. To each his own. Personally I've never seen the alledged image degredation some folks speak of when using a filter, I've also not thought taking a hammer to the front of my lens is a way to prove filters are worthless either. All that being said I'm a always filter guy, I figure maybe it provides a little extra protection, if it does, fine, if it doesn't, well it helps me sleep better at night.